WOMEN ON 20s ANNOUNCES HARRIET TUBMAN AS WINNER OF ONLINE POLL

NEW YORK, May 12, 2015 – After two months and an election in which more than 600,000 people cast ballots in an online poll, the non-profit grassroots campaign, Women On 20s, announced today that in a very close race, the public chose Harriet Tubman from a field of heroic American women to grace a new $20 bill.

The organizers at the same time revealed on their website, petitions in both video and written form that were submitted this morning to the White House, urging President Barack Obama to direct the Treasury Secretary to begin the process of replacing the image of President Andrew Jackson with that of a woman of great stature who played a significant role in American history.

The campaign, which has stayed in the national media spotlight for 10 weeks, is now looking to further harness social media by asking people -- whether they voted in the online poll or not -- to join in a “Virtual March” to the White House, by having them use the hashtag #DearMrPresident in messages of support.

“Our paper bills are like pocket monuments to great figures in our history,” said Women On 20s Executive Director Susan Ades Stone. “Our work won’t be done until we’re holding a Harriet $20 bill in our hands in time for the centennial of women’s suffrage in 2020.”

The campaign has also been mentioned as inspiration for legislation pending in both houses of Congress as well as resolutions of support for the Women On 20s mission from legislative bodies in numerous states and cities, including New York State, Philadelphia and Baltimore. While the redesign being proposed by Women On 20s does not require Congressional approval, only a nod from the President or the Treasury Secretary, “these endorsements can only help,” says Ades Stone.

Vote totals, statistics, images and media links about the campaign are available on the Women On 20s website. They indicate that the desire to see a woman on our paper currency is broad based and supported by both men and women.

Women On 20s Founder Barbara Ortiz Howard added, “Our work is not over but our triumph is that the simple truth that women deserve to be valued more in our culture was heard and echoed by young and old, not only across the country, but around the world.”

With 33.6 percent of the vote, Harriet Tubman edged out former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (31.5 percent) by just over 7,000 votes in a final round that saw 352,431 ballots cast. Civil rights icon Rosa Parks and Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller ran neck and neck with only 5,470 votes separating them in third and fourth place respectively.